Hawkins, Indiana's brand new hip hangout spot is the Starcourt Mall, and it even has its own theme song. Stranger Things' upcoming season takes place in 1985, and the creators are taking the time to soak up every last drop of that setting that they can. The new time period has happily leaked into their marketing campaign as of late as well, showing off some of the latest and greatest new additions to Hawkins. One of these brand new locations is The Starcourt Mall, which first made its appearance in an 80s-influenced promo spot for season 3 and featured Steve along with newcomer, Robin (Maya Hawke), working at the Scoops Ahoy ice cream shop. It was the first of many fun-filled promos that gave fans of the series a little insight into how it's planning on expanding its setting this season.
Plot details surrounding the upcoming series have been minimal, with the latest trailer being the first to truly showcase the return of the Mind Flayer. Reasoning behind this could be due to the fact that the series' creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, have expressed that this season places more of a focus on the characters growing up. It's a new chapter for the plucky group of kids, and they'll have to maneuver the obstacles of growing up alongside the supernatural elements in the Upside Down.
Another quintessential part of Stranger Things' success is its accompanying soundtrack. With plenty of 80's bands blasting through the characters' speakers, its often ominous score has also become a memorable aspect to the show. Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, two members of the electronic group S U R V I V E, shared a few songs from the third season's upcoming soundtrack with Pitchfork. They exclaimed that they've, "made an album that doesn't feel like a 'score' necessarily, but one that feels more like a stand-alone record." They added in that they've, "incorporated the main narrative elements of the series and stayed true to the original sound," while also, "expanding on [their] musical palette." One of the new additions to the soundtrack is a bubbly 80s pop/synth theme song for Hawkins' Starcourt Mall. Check it out here:
Aspects of this season appear far more bright and spirited than previous seasons, which is an exciting and refreshing change. With a release date of July 4, Stranger Things has also taken to brightening up their marketing campaign, making use of the explosive and colorful fireworks that make their appearance on Independence Day. It's been a fun change of pace to keep fans intrigued with what's to come while also making use of their new summer setting.
Music is an important part of Stranger Things, and their score for this upcoming season is a sure sign that they're wanting this one to be an immersive experience. Not only was 1985 a great year for music, with everything from Wham! to Tears for Fears to Madonna dominating the airwaves, but the score makes use of the popular synth sounds that snuck into nearly every televised advertising campaign. It really shows how dedicated the Duffer Brothers are in making this upcoming season one that fans can feel engrossed in its all-encompassing atmosphere.
Source: Pitchfork